“It’s always a difficult task to do the selection process given the quality of the teachers and the differences in the environments in which each of them teach,” Utah State Office of Education public relations director Mark Peterson said.

Once the five finalists were selected, they were invited for an in-person interview with the selection committee.

The 2013 Utah Teacher of the Year will be announced during a reception on Oct. 5. The winner is awarded $10,000 and move on to compete with the teachers of the year from other states in a national competition. The first runner-up will receive a check for $5,000. The second runner-up receives $3,000.